Osram is focusing the business on semiconductors after the German Economy Ministry signed off on the sale of Ledvance to a Chinese consortium. After the disposal, the company's portfolio will center on automotive lighting as well as sensors and specialty LEDs.

Europe needs to wake up to the fact that its best technology companies are being snapped up by overseas buyers at a rapid rate, and to decide whether its laissez-faire approach to these strategic takeovers is sensible.

Increased spending in NAND and flash by Micron, LEDs by Philips and Osram, and continued investments by Globalfoundries will create new opportunities for equipment and materials suppliers in Southeast Asia.

Street-light-manufacturer Schréder has supplied SSL luminaires to Arraiolos, Portugal based on Osram LEDs, while Cooper Lighting has introduced a new version of its LightBAR that primarily targets outdoor lighting.

LG Electronics Inc. and component-making unit LG Innotek Co. said on Wednesday that they filed a lawsuit with a South Korean court on Tuesday seeking an injunction blocking local branches of Germany's BMW AG and Audi AG from selling vehicles equipped with lighting products made by Osram AG, which the Korean companies allege infringe their patents.

The general market slowdown in lighting is affecting companies in all parts of the supply chain, delaying Siemens' intended initial public offering of Osram, while public companies take a hit in the stock market.

Samsung LED Co Ltd said it had filed a complaint with the US fair trade commission to ban imports of LED products from Siemens' light bulb unit Osram and affiliates Osram Opto Semiconductors and Osram Sylvania Inc.

LG is seeking to prevent the importation of Osram LED products into Korea, while the ITC has agreed to investigate Osram's complaints against both LG and Samsung. Meanwhile, Nichia has filed a lawsuit against a DIY retailer in Germany.

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In 2018, global server shipments will grow 8.5% to reach 13.73 million units. Digitimes Research estimates server shipments worldwide will grow at a CAGR of 6.5% during the period 2017-2022, with growth mainly driven by large-scale data centers and the China market.

Digitimes Research estimates total shipments of smartphone APs worldwide will grow 1.5% on year to 1.67 billion units in 2018. The slowing growth in the smartphone market means global smartphone AP shipments will only grow at a mild pace in the next few years, reaching 1.77 billion units in 2021.